Robert (Rob) Gray, Jr.

West Des Moines

Robert (Rob) Gray, Jr., 42, passed away on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. Burial will take place at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Rob was born December 24, 1968 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He worked for a time as a sales trainer at Younker’s in West Des Moines. Rob had lived in Chicago, Illinois for the past 10 years and worked as a professional counselor. As a youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts and at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids where he was involved in many youth activities. Rob had been involved with the Toastmaster’s. He enjoyed reading, spending time with family and friends, Chicago sports, current events, volunteering and his pets.

Rob graduated from Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids and received his B.A. degree at Coe College. He completed his Master of Arts degree at the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rob also completed Doctoral coursework at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Illinois.

Rob is survived by his parents, Pat and Dana Burden of West Des Moines and two grandmothers, Alice Johnson of Waukon, Iowa and Dorothy Burden of Warrensburg, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Edward Neuman Gray, Sr.; grandparents, Stan and Lillian Gray and two grandfathers, Marlin Johnson and Joe Burden.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to John Stoddard Cancer Center, 1221 Pleasant Street, Suite 450, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 or St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1115 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265.